Meet The Kirks
by boothandboneslove
Summary: The sequel to Bondmates, No Matter What. Jim and Spock along with McCoy, Selek and Sarek head to the Kirk farm in Riverside, Iowa, for Spock and Jim's wedding reception. Whille there Jim must face his past as well as his family.
1. Chapter 1

There was a short round brown haired woman in a yellow and white dress standing on the porch when they pulled into the gravel driveway of the Kirk family farm. Jim was sound asleep in his seat, blond head resting on Spock's chest. McCoy was watching out the windshield, taking in the scenery you could see in the background, this part of Iowa was still mostly barren land with a few buildings popping up here and there. And what wasn't old farmhouses was Starfleet ship yards, where new ships were in the process of being built. Selek looked slightly sad as he took in the old wooden farmhouse. And Sarek had to wonder how many times he had seen this very home in his own time with his Jim. Spock was obviously reluctant to wake his sleeping mate, but did so any way, gently shaking the man's shoulder. Jim jumped, banging his head on the roof of the air car in the process.

"Ow, shit, that really hurt." Jim muttered holding the top of his head with both hands. McCoy was biting his lip to keep from laughing. Spock was trying to pry the blond's hands away so he could see if he had injured himself. Selek was watching in slight amusement, but also concern, and Sarek was watching the display with disinterest, he doesn't think the blond hit his head hard enough to damage anything.

"You're really jumpy" Bones commented, as Jim rubbed at the sore spot on his head after Spock checked to see if it was bleeding.

"Yeah, you tend to get 'jumpy' when someone suddenly grabs you in your sleep after..." Jim trailed off suddenly. The doctor winced, both Spock and Selek stiffened, and Sarek tilted his head wondering what the blond had been about to say. The older Vulcan figured it was best not to ask however, if the reactions were anything to go by.

"Right" McCoy cleared his throat and scratched his chin before speaking again "Anyway, we're here."

"Yeah" Jim said quietly, looking nervous as he stared at the farmhouse and the woman who was standing there.

"It will be alright Jim" Spock assured him, rubbing his mates arm in an attempt to comfort and sooth him.

"Yeah" Jim cleared his throat "Ready to go meet the Kirk's?" he asked everyone in the car, looking from person to person. They each just nodded, not sure what to say to the obviously nervous blond man.

Spock was the first one out of the air car, followed by Jim, Selek, Sarek, and Bones. The brown haired woman on the porch almost came flying at them, flinging her arms around Jim's neck and rocking him from side to side.

"Jimmy! Oh you've gotten so big. My little Jimmy's all grown up" she cried, Jim patting her back awkwardly as she cried into his chest.

"Let me look at you" She said when she pulled back a few seconds later, grabbing Jim's arms and holding them out to the side as she scrutinized him. "Turn around" she ordered, and with a long sigh, Jim turned slowly around, obviously used to the treatment.

"You look more and more like your father every time I see you" she announced, not noticing the flinch on Jim's face at the familiar words. "But your far to thin, that just won't do now will it? But don't you worry none, I'll have some meat on those bones yet. I'll make all of your favorite treats, while your here. Hmmm, I'll need more apples; I'll have to have Harold go to the store for me later. I'll need to make a list, lord knows that man would forget his own head if it wasn't attached to his shoulders" she continued. Sarek, Spock, and Selek all raised an eyebrow at the mumbling woman as she continued to talk about the things she had to do or would need. Bones stared at her, wondering if she'd stop before she passed out from lack of oxygen. And Jim looked long suffering at the woman, who ignored them all.

"Elisabeth, remember to breathe" an older man told her in a booming voice as he walked towards them. His once light brown hair was almost completely gray. Warm gray eyes was set into a worn wrinkled face, smile lines etched beside his mouth and eyes. He was tall and thin and bore the evidence of a lifetime of hard work. Elisabeth stopped, smiling at the three Vulcan's and two humans that were staring at her.

"Jim, it's good to see ya" the man greeted and Jim smiled at him.

"You too. Aunt Elisabeth, Uncle Harold, this is Spock, his father Sarek, cousin Selek, and my best friend Leonard McCoy" Jim introduced, gesturing to each as he said their name. "Spock, Sarek, Selek, Bones, this is my aunt Elisabeth and her husband Harold"

"You can just call me Betty, everyone does" Elisabeth smiled at them.

"It is nice to finally meet you Ms. Elisabeth" Spock said politely, causing the woman to laugh.

"Oh that just won't do now dear, your family now and you can't just call me 'Ms. Elisabeth' it's Betty or Aunt Betty, nothin' else" she told him firmly.

"My apologies Betty" Spock replied.

"You're a polite one aren't ya?" Betty asked and Spock nodded.

"Good, I like that. You take care of Jimmy now okay?" she said.

"I assure you, I will never harm Jim" Spock promised her. Before anyone knew what she was going to do, Elisabeth had her arms wrapped around Spock in a tight hug. Spock stiffened at the contact, and Jim was at his side quickly.

"Aunt Betty, Spock's Vulcan, they're touch telepaths and don't like to be touched" Jim explained to the woman who immediately let go of Spock and stepped back, hand in front of her mouth.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry, I didn't know" she apologized.

"It is quite alright, as you said you did not know, you caused me no harm" Spock assured her.

"We don't watch the TV too much, we're always so busy and we don't get to many Vulcans or any other federation species out here in Iowa" she explained.

"I assure you, it is alright, you know now" Spock reassured her.

"Get anything?" Jim asked, hand resting on Spock's shoulder.

"No, she did not touch any of my skin" Spock replied.

"That's good, I know that it's invasive to have somebody's thoughts and feelings thrust at you" Jim smiled at him.

"So, where's mom?" Jim asked, turning to look at his aunt and uncle.

"She had to run to the store, she forgot to get the chicken for dinner, I offered to go, but she told me to wait here for you" Betty replied.

"We'll see her when she gets home," Jim told her.

"Yes you will, she'll be glad to see you. Now come along, I made cookies, you can have some while we wait" Betty said, grabbing Jim's hand and pulling him along behind her, talking all the way.

"Is that common?" Bones asked the woman's husband who still stood with them, shaking his head in fondness.

"Yeah, Betty, she's a force of nature, once she's got somethin' in her head there's no stoppin' her. She'll be feedin' Jim till the moment y'all leave" Harold replied.

"Jim is a healthy weight for a man of his age and height, I do not understand why she believes he is too thin," Spock commented. Harold laughed, looking fondly at the door that his wife had disappeared into.

"Betty likes to feed people, she loves to cook, she thinks everyone is too thin" Harold explained.

"You're probably about the same weight as Jim, why doesn't she try to feed you?" Bones asked.

"She does, I just don't eat as much as she wants and burn it off workin in the fields all day anyhow" Harold replied, leading the men to the farm house.

"How long have you and Betty been married?" Spock asked.

"We got married when Betty was eighteen and I was twenty, I'm fifty six now so thirty six years" Harold answered.

"That is quite a long time," Spock said.

"I guess it is, most people get divorced long before now, I can't imagine not being married to Betty though, after so long I wouldn't know what to do with myself," Harold told them as he opened the screen door, holding it open for them.

When they entered the house they found Jim seated at the table, a plate of cookies placed in front of him with a glass of milk by his elbow. Jim was nibbling on one as he listened to his aunt talk while she washed dishes.

"You're going to ruin your dinner" Bones told him.

"This is my first one" Jim replied, holding up the half eaten cookie.

"He's not going to spoil his dinner, he loves fried chicken," Betty commented from the sink.

"Want a cookie Spock? There's chocolate chip, sugar, and oatmeal" Jim asked.

"Oh, here, try one, there home made" Betty smiled at him, and watched as Spock grabbed a small oatmeal cookie off the plate in front of Jim.

"Thank you" Spock said, sitting in the chair next to Jim.

"So Spock, how did you and Jimmy meet?" Betty asked drying her hands on a dishtowel as she sat at the table across from them.

"We met when Jim was a cadet at the academy. He changed the perimeters of a test I created by hacking into the Starfleet computers" Spock replied.

"Hacking into the computers? Jimmy, why would you do that?" Betty asked, seeming shocked.

"The test wasn't fair, it was unbeatable when there's no such thing as a no win scenario" Jim replied.

"Yes, Jim has always believed that there is always a way" Spock agreed.

"So you're not mad that he changed your test?" Betty asked.

"I was at first, but not anymore. Jim is very wise, and has since taught me never to believe there is not another way" Spock replied. Betty smiled at them, watching as Jim smiled and laid his head on Spock's shoulder for a few seconds.


	2. Chapter 2

Winona Kirk knew that it wasn't nice, knew that people would probably look down on her for it, but that didn't change what she was doing. She was trying to stall the inevitable, stall facing her youngest child, the one she had failed so much, more then his brother. She really had forgotten the chicken for dinner, but Elisabeth and Harold had offered to go for her. She had refused because she was nervous to face her son. It would be the first time they saw each other face to face in so many years. He had left home and hadn't come back, not that she could blame him for that, that house held no good memories for him. And she knew that it was all her fault, she was the one who had caused it all. And so she wasn't sure what to say to her son, and had gone to get chicken and take the longest route home that she could, trying to think of something she could say to no avail.

Winona sighed as she pulled into the driveway of her home, her hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel as she parked behind the air car. It was time for her to face the music, she couldn't avoid this meeting more then she already had. She was happy to see her youngest son in person, but she was also nervous about it. She tightened the ponytail her blond hair was done in, and smoothed out her blue shirt before grabbing the bag that sat in the passenger seat. With one last deep breath to steel her nerves she made her way into her house, where she knew her son was waiting.

When she entered the house, Jim was sitting at the table, refusing another cookie from Elisabeth who was busy waving it in his face. Harold was calmly sitting in a chair beside his wife, reading from the padd he held in his hand. The Vulcan her son had married sat next to Jim, watching the exchange with a raised brow, as were the other two Vulcans who sat at her kitchen table. And another human male was laughing in his own chair. Winona could probably guess all of their names and be right from the people her son said was coming with him. Leonard McCoy was the laughing man with brown eyes. Selek was probably the older Vulcan who sat on Jim's other side, and of course everyone knew what ambassador Sarek looked like. The ambassador sat next to McCoy, head tilted and brow raised at the odd human behavior.

"Well I see everyone has met," she couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle her family was making.

"Mom, hey." Jim stood from his chair to greet her, Betty putting the cookie down on the platter with a sigh.

"Jim, it's good to see you," she smiled. She was shocked by how much he resembled his father, she hadn't really noticed how much until now. He had always looked like the man she had lost the day her youngest child had been born. For years she could barely look at him without her heart breaking all over again. She had not known how to grieve for her dead husband and raise a newborn premature baby at the same time. So she had put off the responsibility of her new baby as much as she could, and had come close to losing him several times.

"You too" Jim smiled back at her. Winona set the bag down and took him into her arms for a hug. She may not have been there a lot when he was a child to raise him, but he had turned into a good man, and she was proud of him. He had grown up to be a hero, just like his father and she knew George would have been just as proud of him had he lived.

"Come meet the gang" Jim said when she pulled away, and Winona grabbed the bag of chicken, and allowed Jim to pull her to the table by her wrist. She had heard so much about Spock, and Selek, and the doctor her son called Bones, and she had talked to Spock when Jim had been injured, but she had never properly met him. Spock greeted her politely, not that she expected any less from the young Vulcan. Selek greeted her just as politely as the younger Vulcan had and Sarek had said 'Hello' with a nod of his head. The doctor greeted her with a 'hello' as well before going back to the conversation he had started with Spock.

"Oh, Winona I made up Jim's old room as well as one of the extra rooms while you were gone, I figured you must have forgot to get them ready for Jim and his guests" Betty told her with a smile.

"We're not staying here Aunt Betty" Jim told her before Winona could say anything.

"What? Why? This is your home Jimmy, don't you want to stay here?" the brown haired woman asked confused.

"It's not my home, hasn't been for a long time. I just don't want to stay here" Jim replied.

"Oh now Jimmy, it's still your home no matter how long ago you turned your back on it. I don't understand why you don't just stay here, it's your childhood home" Betty said.

"I have my reasons, can we just drop it please?" Jim asked, starting to get upset.

"Is this about what happened when you were a child? It was so long ago, he's not even here," Betty started, not seeming to notice the annoyance in her nephew.

"Just drop it! It doesn't matter what my reasons are, I just don't want to stay in this damn house!" Jim shouted, standing up and quickly walking out of the house, the screen door slamming behind him. Spock immediately followed after him, Sarek and Selek looking at the door, in mixtures of concern and confusion.

"That wasn't necessary" Betty commented, and Winona looked at her.

"I know Jim's reasons for not wanting to stay here, trust me, they 're good, just please drop it," Winona told her, sinking down in a chair. And everything had been going so well, she sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim is seated on the ground a few feet away from the house, hands resting in his lap when Spock finds him, he does not look up when Spock approches. Spock is well aware that Jim knows he's there, the bond assuring that. Spock sits down beside his mate, and remains silent; Jim will talk to him when he has figured out his own thoughts.

"I don't understand why she couldn't just leave it alone. I don't want to stay here, she doesn't have to know why," Jim tells him minutes later.

"Your mother is aware of the reasons, she is the only one that needs to know," Spock replied. Jim didn't say anything further, just sat there quietly staring out at the road. Spock was content to sit beside his mate. They sat there in silence for twenty three minutes before Jim stood up, brushing off the back of his pants.

"Come on, we should go back inside before Aunt Betty decides she needs to check on us" Jim told him, and Spock stood as well.

When they got inside Betty and Winona was making dinner, Harold was sitting on the couch reading from the padd he had been earlier. Bones, Sarek and Selek were watching the news, from where they sat in the living room along with Harold.

"Hey, anything good on?" Jim asked sitting on the arm of the chair Bones sat in.

"You missed the weather, pretty soon they'll be discussing the latest news in Starfleet" Bones replied. A minute later a pretty blond reporter appeared on the screen, she was the person who always told the viewers about the latest big news in Starfleet.

"In the first story tonight, Starfleet has announced that a new ship has been finished, and is to be launched on it maiden voyage in a week's time. The voyage will be a two week mission, after which time it will return to earth and be checked over" she said, before zooming down on the padd she held for the next story.

"The flagship Enterprise arrived to earth two days ago. Captain Kirk was proven innocent of the sexual assault claim filed by former Ensign Maria Lewis. Admiral Archer had this to say after the trial" the screen cut to the footage of the apology Archer had said to Jim.

"It's good news to know that the hero of earth did not abuse his power. After the trial, Captain Kirk, his new bondmate Commander Spock, and CMO Dr. Leonard McCoy drove away in an air car. It has been confirmed by sources that they were heading to Riverside Iowa, along with Ambassdor Sarek, and Elder Selek. We have not yet confirmed the reason that they are in Iowa however, we will share the news with you, as soon as we are aware. Stayed tuned for sports next. I am Pamela Douglas, until next time" the blond woman smiled at the camera as it switched to a man wearing a blue suit.

"I can't believe that woman. Why would she accuse you of something so horrible?" Betty asked from behind the couch.

"Because I wouldn't sleep with her, she though that if I did she'd be famous for a little while" Jim replied.

"She was right though, if you had she'd be able to sell the story to a news station and it would have been a huge story" Bones commented.

"I don't understand why she thought I'd cheat on Spock" Jim said.

"Well, that might have something to do with your reputation" Bones told him.

"You know most of those stories are fake" Jim crossed his arms over his chest.

"I might, but not everyone does" Bones retorted.

"I wouldn't cheat on Spock" Jim said looking at Spock.

"I have no concern of that Ashaya" Spock assured him, holding out his first two fingers to Jim, who touched them with his own.

"Why did you do that?" Betty asked.

"It's a Vulcan kiss, it's the accepted form of affection between mates in public" Jim explained.

"Oh, that's lovely" Betty smiled, before heading back into the kitchen.

"At least nobody wanted to discuss the trial" Jim said, he honestly didn't want to even think of that, let alone talk about it.


	4. Chapter 4

An empty bottle of beer went flying through the air before breaking with an unsatisfying crash against the wall when the screen changed. Lips pulled back over yellowed teeth in a snarl, and calloused hands clenched into fists.

The man couldn't believe that little pansy married a Vulcan freak, and a male one at that. He would have thought the boy would have listened to him. No matter however, he'd just have to remind that boy of the lessons he had taught him. With that the man stood, grabbing another beer from the fridge and heading into his room to grab his keys.

Once that was done, the man shut off his TV and left his small little apartment, locking the door behind him before making his way to his old beat up air car. The paint was chipping, one door no longer opened, the windshield was cracked, the front was dented, and the seats were ripped and torn, the filling peeking out.

XXX

Betty piled Jim's plate with fried chicken, peas, and mashed potatoes, smiling happily as she set it down in front of him. Jim stared at the plate with round eyes, before looking at his aunt.

"I'm not going to be able to eat this all, you realize that right?" Jim asked her.

"You're too thin, you need to eat" Betty replied, and Jim sighed.

"I have to stay in shape Aunt Betty, I'm a captain" Jim explained.

"So Starfleet wants my little Jimmy to starve?" Betty asked, tone clearly indicating that was exactly what she thought Jim was doing.

"I'm not starving, I'm a healthy weight, besides Spock would shove food down my throat if I wasn't eating enough" Jim told her.

"You're skin and bones" Betty argued, arms crossed over her chest.

"I give up" Jim sighed, and took a bite of the mashed potatoes on his plate. Betty smiled, uncrossing her arms and starting to eat her own food.

"I'm so glad they proved that that girl was lying" Betty commented minutes later Jim only nodded.

"What did she think she'd gain if they had believed that horrible story?" Betty asked.

"She'd thought she'd get more attention then her sister, that was her explanation anyway" Jim replied, hoping that she'd drop it now.

"So she was going to ruin your life for attention?" Betty asked angrily.

"Yeah" Jim sighed, he didn't want to talk about this.

"I hope you didn't believe that awful lie" Betty said, looking at Spock.

"Indeed not, I knew it was not the truth, I would have been aware had Jim done anything of the kind" Spock told her.

"How is that?" Betty asked curiously, and Jim mentally thanked his mate, knowing that Spock had purposely said he would have known so that she would change the subject. Spock grabbed Jim's hand under the table for a second in acknowledgment.

"Vulcan's are a telepathic race, we are able to enter another's mind through something called a mind meld, it is one of the most intimate acts amongst my people. Especially among mates. During our relationship Jim and I have engaged in a mind meld many times. There is no way to hide anything in a meld, I would have known even if it had been before we bonded. After Jim was unconscious for three weeks" Spock explained.

"What all does your bond mean?" Betty asked.

"I feel Jim's consciousness in the back of my mind, just as he feels mine. We can feel each others emotions. We will know if the other dies. And we can communicate telepathically" Spock explained.

"Really? That must be useful" Betty said.

"Indeed it is" Spock nodded.

Betty finally dropped the questions and allowed other conversations to pick up around the table, Jim happily listening to the chatter.


	5. Chapter 5

Bones looked around the hotel when they entered; he had to admit it certainly was a nice place. The hotel was two cities away from Iowa, which Jim was obviously happy about. Bones knew that Iowa wasn't one of Jim's favorite places. He loved it; Bones knew that, he just got antsy when he was in Ithere for long.

Jim bumped his shoulder and smiled at him when he noticed that Bones was staring around the hotel, the hotel stay was a gift from both Sarek and Selek. Bones pushed Jim away from him, to which Jim stuck his tongue out at him laughing.

"What are you? Two?" Bones asked, Jim just laughed harder, Spock pulling the blond closer to him, palm resting on the small of Jim's back. McCoy couldn't help the small grin as he watched, but quickly replaced it with his usual scowl, and an eye roll when Jim looked back at him.

"Are you always going to be so sickeningly sweet, or is this just the honeymoon phase?" Bones asked.

"I do not understand what you mean by the term 'Honeymoon phase' doctor" Spock said, eyebrow raised.

"It means a phase where the couple thinks everything is perfect and they don't see anything bad" Bones explained.

"I do not understand" Spock repeated.

"Never mind, have your boy toy explain" McCoy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What is a 'Boy toy'?" Spock asked. McCoy grinned and opened his mouth but Jim quickly slapped a hand over his mouth before he could say anything.

"Don't you dare explain that to him, I am not going to drag you to your room when he nerve pinches you for that comment" Jim hissed.

"Don't do that again" Bones warned, scrubbing his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.

"What was I supposed to do? You would have put your foot in your mouth and been nerve pinched into unconsciousness for your troubles" Jim retorted.

"How do you know I would of been nerve pinched?" Bones asked, arms crossed over his chest.

"Because Spock is over protective" Jim explained.

"I believe from your reaction that the term 'Boy toy' is a negative term correct Jim?" Spock asked.

"Yeah, it's not a nice term. Bones is just being an ass though" Jim replied, Bones rolled his eyes once again.

"Lets just go, I'm tired" Jim said, following Sarek and Selek to the elevators, Spock and Bones following behind him.

XXX

"I hope this place has good sound proofing" Bones said immediately upon noticing that his room was right next door to Jim and Spock's. Jim punched him hard in the shoulder; Spock blushed slightly, the tips of his pointed ears green. Selek looked highly amused and almost seemed like he was trying not to laugh. Sarek just raised an eyebrow before going into the room that he was sharing with Selek.

Selek squeezed his young counterparts shoulder before following Sarek, leaving the two humans and the young Vulcan alone in the hall. This younger version of Leonard McCoy reminded him so much of the one from his own time. He had never wanted to know anything about his and Jim's relationship, but he had been happy for them.

"I can't believe you just said that in front of Sarek" Jim told him, voice a little high. Spock was just standing there, blush slowly getting worse.

"What? It's not like he thinks Spock's a virgin does he?" Bones asked, arms crossed over his chest, he looked at Spock though. 'Who knows, he actually might" he thought to himself.

"We do not discuss things of that nature," Spock told him, head bowed as he attempted to hide the blush that covered his cheeks.

"Relax, I bet he knows you guys have been knocking boots" Bones sighed; Spock's face flushed a darker green.

"Okay, we're going to go into our room, before Spock passes out from lightheadedness" Jim said, steering Spock into the room. "Maybe we'll test just how good the sound proofing is," Jim added as they disappeared into the room.

"Jim!" Bones heard as well as loud laughter just before the door slipped closed. Bones walked into his own room laughing.


	6. Chapter 6

When he opened his eyes Jim immediately noticed that there was still a warm weight wrapped around his thin waist, and a warm body against his back. Jim smiled; Spock almost always woke up before him. Spock's nose was buried against his neck, warm breath tickling his bare shoulder. Jim loved the days Spock slept longer then him, he could just lie there and listen to Spock's calm breathing.

"You are up early," Spock said, placing a kiss on his shoulder.

"What time is it?" Jim asked, the clock was on Spock's side, not that Spock ever needed a clock, he always knew what time it was.

"It is 5:45 in the morning. You can go back to sleep, you have only slept for 4.2 hours" Spock replied.

"I'm not tired" Jim told him, rolling so that he laid on his back, without dislodging Spock's arm from his waist. Spock moved his hand so that it rested on Jim's flat stomach, just below the long scar that was now a permanent reminder of when Jim had nearly died.

"Bones apologized that he couldn't heal it, he said that in interfered with my lung though and it wouldn't heal properly" Jim told him as Spock ran a finger over the bottom of the scar.

"You died" Spock told him; Jim turned his head to look at him feeling bad about the pain he could hear in Spock's voice.

"Bones told me, I'm sorry" Jim apologized.

"You do not need to apologize, it was not your doing" Spock reassured him.

"Did you really pass out?" Jim asked, lifting one of his hands and running it through Spock's silky black hair.

"Yes, I was not shielding at the time you died and the pain of the bond breaking caused me to collapse" Spock replied.

"Bones said a couple of the nurses were frantic when you fell" Jim told him.

"Indeed?" Spock asked, nobody had mentioned that to him.

"You have no idea how hot you are do you Spock?" Jim asked, rolling over so that he straddled his mate.

"I do not understand what you mean" Spock replied, hands resting on the blond's hips.

"You're gorgeous Spock, everyone on the Enterprise knows it. Why do you think half the ship was planning to seduce you when they found out you and Uhura weren't together anymore? You're tall, dark, and handsome Spock" Jim told him, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the Vulcan's lips. "I never thought you'd love me," Jim whispered into his ear once he pulled away from the kiss.

"I am aware" Spock replied, hands trailing up Jim's side from his hips.

"Think we have enough time to test the sound proofing?" Jim asked with a grin.

"Yes" Spock nodded, pulling Jim back down for a kiss with a hand on the back of his neck.


	7. Chapter 7

Jim ran into Bones causing both of them to crash to the floor when he stepped out of His and Spock's room. Bones grumbled and glared at the blond that was lying on top of him, Jim just smiled awkwardly at him.

"Get off of me" Bones growled, Jim scrambling to get back up.

"Sorry Bones," Jim said holding his hand out to help the other man back up, Bones just pushed his hand away and stood up.

"What the heck, will you watch where your going?" Bones asked, dusting off the back of his pants.

"It was Spock's fault" Jim told him, hands held up in front of himself defensively.

"And just how was you running into Dr. McCoy my fault T'hy'la?" Spock asked, standing in the doorway.

"You grabbed my ass" Jim said matter of factly, just as Sarek and Selek walked out of their room. Sarek cleared his throat, causing Jim to blush when he noticed them standing there, and then he glared at Bones who was trying not to laugh before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Do not be embarrassed Jim, I had done the same many times to my own Jim" Selek told him, laying his hand on the blonds shoulder.

"You are a bad influence on my son Selek," Sarek informed him.

XXX

When they pulled into the driveway of the Kirk family farm they noticed that two new people sat in chairs on the porch. Once Jim was out of the car, a young woman came running off the porch, brown hair pulled behind her head in a ponytail. Jim picked her up when she hugged him, spinning her around a few times before setting her back on her feet.

"Jim, it's been forever since I saw you!" she exclaimed, hugging him once again.

"I know, last time we were able to talk I had just started dating Spock" Jim smiled.

"And now you're married to him" she laughed, before studying the three Vulcans that stood behind Jim.

"You have good taste, he's hotter in person," she announced, looking straight at Spock who just raised an eyebrow at her.

"I know" Jim agreed.

"Aren't you gonna introduce use Jim?" Bones asked, feeling awkward.

"Oh, right, sorry. My best friend, Leonard McCoy, Spock's father Sarek, and his cousin Selek, and of course you know Spock" Jim gestured to each person as he said their name. "This is my cousin Samantha, everyone calls her Sammy though" Jim finished as Samantha waved.

"I'm Betty's and Harold's daughter, incase you're wondering" Sammy smiled.

"She's in the academy right now" Jim smiled proudly.

"Indeed? What are you studying?" Spock asked.

"Sciences" Sammy replied.

"You'll two will have a lot to talk about, Spock's my Science officer as well as first officer aboard the enterprise" Jim smiled.

"Double duty huh? Is that hard?" Sammy asked.

"At times" Spock replied.

"He's the best," Jim added, smiling at his mate.

"Don't I get a hello?" a voice asked, behind Jim.

"Jeremy, you would if you hadn't been sitting on the porch" Jim smiled.

"Come here" Jeremy smiled, grabbing Jim and hugging him, before he shifted so that he had Jim in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles over Jim's scalp.

"Ow, ow, ow, let go of me, do you have to do this every time we see each other?" Jim asked, trying to pull his head out of his cousin's arm.

"It's fun" Jeremy shrugged as he let the other man go.

"We're grown men, that's a little childish," Jim told him, fixing his hair.

"Introduce me Jimmy" Jeremy said, looking at the people with his cousin.

"Please tell me your husband isn't one of the old guys" he whispered into his cousins ear.

"They can hear you, just so you know, they have very good hearing" Jim laughed.

"Oh, sorry" Jeremy apologized, scratching the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

"No, he's not, this is Spock" Jim said, taking mercy on his older cousin and grabbing a hold of Spock's arm.

"Nice to meet you, I'd offer to shake your hand but Sammy briefed me on Vulcans on the way here" Jeremy said.

"Should have briefed your mom Sammy, she hugged Spock" Jim said.

"She didn't, Vulcans are touch telepaths, and she hugged one?!" Sammy smacked her hand to her forehead.

"Anyway Jeremy, this is Leonard McCoy, Spock's father Sarek, and his cousin Selek" Jim introduced.

"We should go inside, before mom worries we'll get sick and tries to put us in sweaters with warm milk" Jeremy said, leading the way into the farm house.


	8. Chapter 8

Jim was staring out the living room window, listening to Sammy talk to Spock, Sarek, and Selek, about something related to science. He wasn't really sure what they were talking about though, he may have had a higher intelligence then normal, but he wasn't that good at science. Jim's smile faltered a little and he sat up straighter in his seat, when an unfamiliar car drove down the street. The smile disappeared all together when it pulled into the driveway. Jim began to panic when the man he never thought he'd see again got out of the car. Spock let his sentence trail off, looking at Jim as the blonds panic made it's way across the bond, and his mate stood up.

"Jim?" Spock asked, moving closer to his mate, when he noticed that the man was shaking.

"He's not supposed to be here" Jim mumbled, and Spock knew that Jim was not actually talking to him, but rather to himself.

"Who is not supposed to be here?" Spock asked, but Jim didn't answer, just stared wide eyed out the window, as he continued to shake. Spock looked as well, and recognized the man from Jim's memories, and understood exactly why Jim was so frightened.

"Who is it?" Winona asked, concerned about the way her son had gone pale and was shaking uncontrollably where he stood.

"Frank Carlson" Spock replied, his voice cold, even for a Vulcan, and Winona knew without a doubt that the young Vulcan was angry. Jim had obviously told Spock about his stepfather, and that surprised her, Jim had always been unwilling to talk about it. But at the moment, she had more serious matters to think about. Winona clenched her hands into fists and stalked towards the door, noticing that Jim pulled away from Spock and followed her, his mate close behind him. Winona didn't care that Betty, Harold, Jeremy, and Sammy followed, they all knew who Frank was, and just what he had done. She worried for a few seconds about Sarek, McCoy, and Selek following, before deciding that at the moment she was too angry to care.

"What are you doing here?" Winona asked, her voice low as she glared at her ex-husband, Frank didn't say anything, or even look at her, instead focusing his gaze on Jim.

"Long time, no see, Jimmy" Frank smirked, glad to see the man remembered him, and was still afraid of him.

"What do you want?" Winona asked again, clenching her hands tight enough her nails left imprints in her palms and her knuckles went white.

"Oh nothing, just wanted to talk to Jim" Frank replied, watching as the young Vulcan he had married, stepped in front of him, putting himself between Frank and Jim.

"You're not allowed here Frank, and you know that, your violating the restraining order against you" Winona reminded him, hoping he would leave.

"I'm not bothering you am I Winona?" Frank asked.

"You are actually, you're not allowed near my house or my family, especially not Jim" Winona said through gritted teeth.

"I don't really care" Frank replied, ignoring Winona and looking at Jim again.

"Did you forget what I taught you boy?" Frank asked, smirking when the blond unconsciously shook his head, like he had as a child.

"I think you have, and I'm here to remind you" Frank told him, Jim's eyes widened and he tried to pull himself closer to Spock.

"You're a little whore, just like I always knew you were. Not only did you spread your legs for a man, but a Vulcan freak at that. He's not even full Vulcan, what did the full Vulcan's not want to fuck your little pansy ass? I can't blame them" Frank sneered.

"That is enough" Spock growled.

"This has nothing to do with you freak, so I suggest you stay out of it" Frank told him.

"You are mistaken, this matter does concern me, you are insulting my mate, my T'hy'la, and I will not let it continue" Spock told him.

"And what are you gonna do about it?" Frank asked, watching as the Vulcan reached out, expecting to get punched, instead the Vulcan touched his neck and he crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"Holy shit, is he dead?" Jeremy asked a few seconds later, poking the man in the side with the toe of his shoe.

"No, unfortunately, he's just unconscious" Bones grumbled, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the body on the ground.

"What did you do?" Sammy asked, slightly amazed.

"Vulcan neck pinch, a very effective way of rendering ones enemies unconscious without injuring them" Sarek explained.

"To bad, this pig would have deserved it" Jeremy said.

"If it's any consolation, he'll have one hell of a headache when he wakes up" Bones told him, kicking the unconscious man hard in the kneecap.

"I'll go call the police to come pick up the trash," Jeremy announced, walking back into the house.

Spock led Jim away from the others, he could feel his mates unease and the still lingering panic over the bond. Jim wanted to be away from the others for a little while, and Spock was more then happy to comply.


	9. Chapter 9

Jim didn't talk even after they were alone, the shaking had stopped but there was still a bit of panic, however it was now mixed with anger and sadness that had nothing to do with old memories. Spock just watched as Jim paced, thoughts spinning around in the blond's head, but Spock did not pry into them, even though he knew he easily could.

After a few minutes, Jim stopped pacing, and sat down in the grass beside his mate, allowing the Vulcan to pull him into his embrace. Jim didn't want to be here, but he didn't want to upset his family by leaving. Spock grabbed one of Jim's hands, and kissed him on the temple, before he stood, pulling Jim up with him.

"Come, we will make our excuses and take our leave" Spock told him, leading Jim into the farmhouse, hand resting on the small of his back. Spock was sure that they would understand once they explained.

Spock had been correct, though they had been a bit upset; Jim's family had all understood that Jim needed to get away from that house and its memories. Winona had hugged him, placing a kiss to his cheek and told him goodbye. Betty had hugged him as well, trying to talk him into staying, but her family had stopped her. After everyone had said their goodbyes, the group left, Jim still remaining quiet.

XXX

Bones stood from his seat as Spock approached the area him, Sarek, and Selek were sitting a few hours after they had returned. Spock had gone to the room he was sharing with Jim, a few minutes earlier to see if Jim wanted to go to dinner with them.

"What'd he say?" Bones asked.

"He does not wish to attend" Spock replied, standing in front of them, hands clasped behind his back.

"Alright, well take care of him, make sure he eats something and sleeps" Bones said, and Spock nodded, assuring the doctor that he would before turning on his heel and walking away. Jim was still lying on the bed when Spock retuned. Jim was very upset and did not want to be around people; the only one he wanted around at the moment was Spock. Spock sat on the bed close to his T'hy'la, hand resting on his shoulder. Jim didn't react much more the looking at him for a second and smiling slightly. Jim was lost in painful memories that had been brought back to the surface when he had seen Frank that day.

"I can meld with you and take the memories away for a little if you wish" Spock whispered to his mate, hating to see him suffer through the memories of his past. Jim raised blue eyes to look at him, and shook his head.

"Jim" Spock started, he could take the memories away for a little while, give Jim some peace until they returned and Jim could bury them once again in the box he had put them in, so why wouldn't Jim let him?

"That isn't fair to you Spock, you'd have to suffer them until they returned to me" Jim interrupted.

"My shields are much stronger then yours, I can shield from them Ashaya" Spock said gently, petting his hair.

"No Spock, stop asking, don't even think about it, I'm not going to let you Spock" Jim stated firmly, putting an end to the conversation. Spock let out a barely audible sigh and nodded "They're my memories, I've dealt with them before, I can do it again, and this time it's better because your with me" Jim added, more gentle this time, squeezing Spock's hand in his.

"Very well, T'hy'la" Spock said.

"Come on, lay down with me" Jim requested, and Spock complied, laying down beside his mate and holding him close to his body.


	10. Chapter 10

Jim was still not himself the next day; there was still pain that lingered from the memories that had been brought to the surface the day before. Spock had remained by his side the entire time, letting the blond cling to him when he woke from nightmares. Soothed him when those same nightmares brought tears. By time morning came, Jim had barley slept. The blond was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

"I will get you some breakfast while you shower," Spock said gently, and Jim nods quietly standing from the bed and heading into the attached bathroom. Spock picked up the phone and ordered breakfast for him and his mate, before silently leaving the room.

McCoy had just grabbed his shirt to pull it on when he heard a knock on his door, dropping the shirt back on the bed; he hit the button to unlock the door, letting Spock into the room. Bones didn't need to ask, he knew exactly why Spock was there.

"How is he?" the doctor asked, concerned for his friend.

"He is not speaking very much" Spock replied.

"That's not surprising" Bones told him, sitting on his bed, and gesturing for Spock to take a seat in a chair. "How'd he sleep?" he asked, once Spock was sitting.

"He did not sleep very well" Spock replied.

"I thought he might have nightmares" Bones sighed "I'll give you a sedative for him, it shouldn't cause any allergic reactions, I only grabbed his. It'll just let him sleep without dreams, that's the best thing for him. Give him that then call his mother and tell her we won't be coming today," Bones instructed, digging in his medical bag and pulling out a hypo he handed to Spock.

"He is blocking me," Spock told him. Bones was shocked, Spock sounded upset, he was showing emotions, to someone that wasn't Jim. McCoy quickly got a hold of himself and set back on his bed, elbows resting on his knees.

"He's hurting, he's dealing with memories he buried years ago. He's reliving the hell of his childhood Spock, he doesn't want you to feel the pain, or fear, or any other emotion that they bring. To Jim, this shows just how weak he is, that he's not the man who fears nothing that his crew wants him to be. You have to know by now that he puts on an act, a mask so people don't get close, when you let someone get close, they can hurt you, Jim's afraid of being hurt. For now, let him have his space, if he's still blocking you in two days, then you talk to him. For now, just let him have the time he needs" Bones told him.

"I am concerned" Spock admitted.

"I know, just give him time," the doctor said gently.

"I will adhere to your wisdom in this matter, now I must go, Jim will be done with his shower soon" Spock stated, standing. Bones watched him leave, before sighing, worried about his friend, but trusting Spock to take care of him.

Jim was still in the shower when Spock returned, and Spock quietly stepped into the bathroom, wanting to check on his mate. Jim was sitting on the floor of the shower stall, tears making their way down his cheeks, head buried in arms supported by his knees. Spock stepped into the cubicle, still fully dressed but not caring in the least, his mate needed him that was all that mattered.

"Jim" Spock said softly, reaching out to his mate and laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, in an attempt to comfort.

"Spock" Jim sobbed, clinging to the Vulcan, arms wrapped around his neck, and crying into his shoulder.

"Jim, Ashya, please do not cry, I am here," Spock said soothingly, trying to comfort the distraught human in his arms.

"I can't, he won't leave me alone" Jim said brokenly, and the tone and pain in the voice of the man he loved so dearly broke the Vulcan's heart.

"Hush, beloved, I am here" Spock whispered pinching Jim on the neck and letting the blond fall limp into his arms. "I am sorry, but I can not stand by and watch as you suffer any longer, forgive me my Jim" Spock said softly, placing a hand to Jim's psy points and entering the mind that had called out to his own for so long. Spock quickly found the memories, going around in a continuous loop, and removing them from the mind they belonged to. Jim hadn't wanted him to do this, but he couldn't bear to see the blond in so much pain over them.

Once he was finished, Spock stood, gently gathering the blond into his arms and turning off the water, before carrying his mate back into the room. He laid Jim on the bed, drying him as much as he could with a towel before dressing him in a pair of boxers and sleep pants. Spock left the sleeping area, letting his mate recover from the neck pinch on the bed.

When Jim regained consciousness he was furious, his neck hurt, an obvious sign Spock had nerve pinched him, and his head felt emptier, the memories were no longer there. He had told Spock not to do that, but he went behind his back and did it anyway.

"You son of a bitch!" Jim shouted, standing in the doorway between the sleeping area and living area, arms crossed over his chest.

"I could no longer bear to watch you suffer Ashya" Spock said softly.

"I told you not to do that, I don't need you to make everything alright, I'm not a fucking child!" Jim yelled angrily, jaw clenched.

"You do not need to be a child, for someone to wish to care for you" Spock told him.

"I could have dealt with it on my own, I have for years!" Jim shouted.

"You do not have to, you are my mate, my T'hy'la, you no longer have to suffer alone" Spock said, voice gentle.

"Leave me alone" Jim said flatly, turning on his heel and going back into the sleeping area.

Spock sighed, grabbing the tray of food that had arrived, while Jim was still unconscious and leaving it just inside the room so that Jim could eat it when he was ready. Jim would forgive him, soon enough, at least he hoped he would.


	11. Chapter 11

Jim sighed and moved closer to the couch, where Spock was sleeping, tablet still held in his hand. Spock had only been trying to help, and Jim figured he shouldn't be too angry really. If the situation was reversed Jim would have done the same for his mate. Jim gently pried the tablet from Spock's grip, sitting it on the stand beside the couch.

"Spock, wake up" Jim said, shaking his sleeping bondmate's shoulder gently. The Vulcan's eyes snapped open, and looked up at the blond haired man.

"What is it? Is something the matter?" Spock asked, sitting up on the couch.

"Nothings wrong stop worrying. I just came to get you to come to bed" Jim replied.

"I did not believe you would wish to share a bed with me tonight" Spock said.

"I didn't, but I thought more about what you did and why, if I were you I would have done the same so I can't be too angry with you" Jim explained.

"I only wished to help" Spock told him.

"I know I overreacted. Lets go to bed, I'm tired" Jim said with a smile. Spock stood and followed his T'hy'la back into the bedroom.

XXX

The next day when they returned to the Kirk family farm it was packed with new family members who had arrived in the two days that they had been away. They could hear the noise from outside, and Jim groaned.

"We're going to be bombarded with my extended family the minute we walk through that door" Jim warned.

"Are you not happy to see your family?" Sarek asked.

"Not all of them, not even most of them. Half of them didn't talk to me until after the Narada incident, and about half of them wanted money. The other half wanted to spiel some bullshit about how proud of me they were, and how they always knew I was destined for greatness just like my father" Jim replied.

"You only have to deal with them for a few days" Bones commented.

"With my family, that'll seem like forever" Jim sighed. By the time they had reached the porch an old woman, white hair cut short and curling over her ears had opened the door. She was shorter then Betty, but was thinner. She had brown eyes that seemed too small for her face, but were outlined by laugh lines. Her glasses were falling off of her nose but she didn't bother to push them up as she smiled up at Jim. Jim smiled back, before bending down and hugging the woman, letting her run her long fingers through his hair.

"Jimmy, it's been so long," she said, before kissing the side of his head.

"I know" Jim replied, kissing her cheek before standing back up. "Guys, this is my grandmother Helen, I call her Mawmaw" Jim introduced before turning back to the woman still standing in the open door. "Mawmaw, this is Spock, his father Sarek and cousin Selek, and my best friend Leonard McCoy" Jim finished.

"Hello" Helen greeted, smiling at the group.

"Mom, come away from the door before you get sick" Betty said, appearing behind the woman.

"Oh hush Elizabeth, I'm old, not invalid" Helen replied waving her hand at her daughter, as if trying to wave her away.

"Do you have to go against everything I say mother? I'm only trying to take care of you" Betty said, just before a call from the kitchen drew her and her attention away.

"She acts like I'm a child. I brought that girl into this world and I can still take her right back out" Helen muttered.

"Let's go inside before Aunt Betty comes back," Jim said.

"I'd like to stay out here for a few minutes more dearie, I don't want to throw ya to the piranhas just yet" Helen retorted, stepping outside.

"Whose all in there?" Jim asked, sitting beside his grandmother on the swing attached to the porches roof.

"Who isn't would be the shortest answer. Almost everyone from your moms and dads side is here, all yelling and screaming at one another. I'm tempted to bend your cousins Rose's hellions over my knee, those children are absolutely ungrateful. There little monsters I tell ya, the whole lot of them" Helen ranted.

"How many kids does she have?" Bones asked.

"Five, and another on the way" Helen replied.

"Is Aunt Marie here?" Jim asked.

"Unfortunately, the she-devil. She's so excited about the press, going on bout telling everyone how proud she is of you. Lies, everything out of that woman's mouth is a lie" Helen replied.

"I know. She always believed I was going to die as a teenager, said it'd be my own fault for all the shit I did" Jim agreed.

"You were a hellion, but you were angry" Helen told him with a smile.

"Everyone wanted me to live up to my fathers memory, looked down on any mistake I made like I disappointed him. Expected me to be the perfect copy of him just because I look like him. I didn't know how to live up to these expectations of me that were formed the minute I was born" Jim replied.

"You may look like him, but you've always been someone completely different" Helen smiled, kissing the top of Jim's head.


	12. Chapter 12

Jim had been correct, the minute they walked into the house, a horde of people rushed up to them, all pushing at each other to talk to Jim. One woman elbowed passed a younger man to wrap her arms around Jim, babbling about how she had been so worried for him while he was in space. Jim kept his arms by his side and didn't return the hug.

"I always knew you'd be a hero, just like your father, didn't I always say that Milton?" the woman said letting Jim go.

"Yes dear" a man said, he had thinning light brown hair and brown eyes; Bones guessed that was 'Milton'.

"We all want to see him Marie, move out of the way" a woman with dark blond hair said, she was taller the Marie by a foot and several inches. Marie gave the woman a dirty look but moved out of the way nonetheless.

"It's so good to you again Jim" she said, not hugging Jim like everyone else had, and instead only patting him on the shoulder before moving.

"Jim! I'm so glad to see you, I've been telling the kids for days all about you, there all so happy to finally meet you" a dyed redhead greeted, a little boy with brown hair was hanging onto her leg, and a little girl with blond hair hand a handful of the woman's pant leg.

"Rose, and who are these two?" Jim asked.

"Ava and Carl, Ava's seven and Carl's nine" Rose replied, just as the 'Carl' let go of her and stood staring up at Jim.

"Hi" Jim greeted looking down at the little boy.

"I don't like you" the boy announced, before kicking Jim in the shin and taking off down the hall. Jim swore and clutched at his abused shin.

"Boys, you know how they are" Rose simply said before walking away.

"She could at least apologize" Bones grumbled.

"Indeed" Spock agreed.

"I told you, all of her little monsters are like that," Helen said loudly, smiling at Rose when the woman frowned at her.

XXX

The rest of Jim's family was pretty much the same, Jim said very few words to all of them, and didn't hug them when they hugged him. After the crowed thinned out, Jim pulled Spock over to a chair in a corner and set on the arm after Spock sat down. Sammy stole a chair from the kitchen and sat down close to them.

"This is a mad house, Jeremy and Marie's son Marvin got into a fight earlier, Jeremy nearly broke his nose" Sammy told them.

"Those two have never liked each other" Jim replied.

"It was more what Marvin said then any pervious animosity between them, mom told Jeremy to put it behind him for you, but Jeremy couldn't ignore what he said" Sammy explained.

"What did he say?" Jim asked.

"That you disgraced your family by being a fag who fucks alien freaks" Sammy replied, not even trying to hide her anger or disgust at the man who said it in the first place, and having to repeat it.

"Let him say what he wants, I know they don't like me and I don't like them much either" Jim told her.

"He had no right to say that! You just want us to ignore him when he insults you like that?" Sammy argued.

"Yes, Sammy I do. Let him say what he wants, I don't care, I've heard worse" Jim told her.

"Fine" Sammy sighed.


	13. Chapter 13

"Oh Jim, I wanted you to try this, it's a new recipe I found" one of Jim's relatives said, holding a plate full of fudge squares up to Jim. The woman was almost as tall as Jim with dark brown hair that looked nearly black and hazel eyes. She looked to be in her late thirties, but had a streak of gray hair at her temple. Her red glasses were falling down her nose, and curly hair piled on top of her head in an up-do that looked more like a pile of knots.

"Uh, sure" Jim smiled slightly, grabbing one of the little squares and popping it into his mouth, before turning back to the conversation with Spock he had been interrupted from. As soon as he swallowed the piece of fudge Jim wheezed.

"Jim" Spock said worriedly, Jim opened his mouth to try to say something to his mate only to gasp for air.

"Shit, Spock here, find one of his allergy hypos" Bones ordered, tossing Spock his medical bag before pushing Jim down into a chair and pulling Jim's long sleeved shirt over his head. Spock handed one of the specifically marked hypo sprays over to the doctor and watched worriedly as he jabbed it into Jim's bicep.

"He's not going to go in anaphylactic shock, but be sure to keep a close eye on him" Bones told Spock, rubbing his best friends bare back, as Jim gasped for air. Spock knelt down on the floor and pulled his beloved mate into his arms, reveling in the flaring of their bond at the contact.

"Jessica! What the hell did you give my son?!" Winona yelled, anger replacing her worry now that she knew her son was going to be all right.

"Rocky road fudge" Jessica replied.

"What's in it?" Bones asked before Winona had the chance.

"Marshmallows and almonds" Jessica answered, stepping back at the glare the doctor gave her.

"Jim's allergic to almonds! He's allergic to most types of nuts; they can kill him. And you give him almonds?!" Winona yelled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know" Jessica told her.

"I don't give a damn whether you knew or not, you should have asked then, you could have killed him" Winona's voice raised several notches.

"I'm sorry" Jessica said again.

"I don't want your apology, it doesn't change anything. Jim couldn't breath because of you and your stupid fudge, his fucking airways were closing because of you and all you can say is that your sorry, get out of my fucking house!" Winona shouted, pointing at the door.

"Winona..." Jessica tried.

"Out!" Winona shouted once again, watching the woman and her teenage son flee the house.

"Are you alright T'hy'la?" Spock asked, hand resting on Jim's neck over the pulse point, needing the reassurance it provided.

"I'm fine" Jim smiled, before coughing.

"It's a good thing he had allergy hypos," Jeremy said, gesturing at Bones.

"I'm the CMO on the Enterprise it's my job. Besides he's allergic to so many things and we discover new ones constantly, that it's become necessary to carry them on me all day" Bones replied.

"Yeah, guess that's a good idea" Jeremy nodded.

XXX

"Spock, would you like some pot roast?" Betty asked, looking at Spock's plate of vegetables.

"Vulcans are vegetarians Aunt Betty" Jim told her.

"Nobody can live on vegetables alone, they need protein" Betty argued.

"Vulcans are not like humans mom, they live perfectly fine on a strict vegetarian diet, they don't need to get protein from meat like we do" Sammy added.

"Oh, would you like some more potatoes then?" Betty asked.

"No, thank you" Spock replied.

"We're having chocolate cake for desert, do you like chocolate cake?" Betty asked Spock.

"Sammy, maybe you should give you mom the crash course on Vulcans you gave Jeremy" Jim commented.

"I probably should, this is embarrassing" Sammy agreed.

"Why do I need a 'crash course' on Vulcans?" Betty asked.

"Because mom, Vulcans don't eat chocolate, they react differently to it then we do" Sammy explained.

"Does it make them sick?" Betty asked.

"Too much of it can" Jim laughed.

"It acts like alcohol to a human" Sammy explained.

"It makes them drunk?" Betty asked.

"Yup" Jim said, laughing again.

"You gave him chocolate before didn't you?" Bones asked.

"I didn't know at the time. You should of seen it, Bones, he started singing, it was hilarious" Jim laughed, clutching at his sides.

"Why am I not surprised you gave the hobgoblin chocolate" Bones shook his head.

"I didn't know, okay? He gets very touchy when drunk though" Jim retorted.

"Why do you tell me these things? I don't care about your sex life" Bones said, eye twitching.

"I never said anything about that" Jim said.

"More then I ever needed to know" Jeremy muttered.

"Agreed" Sarek said.

"Let's change the subject, I embarrassed Spock" Jim said, noticing the dark green blush on his mates cheeks and ear tips.


	14. Chapter 14

Jim couldn't stop smiling as he watched taxi's and rented air cars parking and dropping people off at the end of the drive way. The entire crew of the Enterprise had been given shore leave while they were docked for inspections and tune-ups, and his and Spock's closet friends had been invited to the party. Chekov was bouncing up and down, and waving at him as soon as he stepped out of the taxi, leaving poor Sulu to grab the bags.

"Keptain!" Chekov greeted, hugging him as soon as he was close enough to reach him.

"Hey Chekov" Jim greeted the younger man, returning the hug.

"Hey Jim" Sulu waved.

"Want some help?" Jim asked.

"No, thanks I got it" Sulu replied.

"Spock?! If I didn't know you I'd think you weren't Vulcan, you're wearing jeans" Nyota called, standing shocked be the car door she had just gotten out of.

"That would be my influence" Jim said proudly.

"You got him into jeans? How the hell did you manage that Farm boy?" Nyota asked, Jim grinned at being called 'farm boy' it was a joke between them now.

"Told him I thought he would be hot in them" Jim shrugged.

"Only you" Nyota laughed, finally moving towards them.

"How was Scotland?" Jim asked her. Nyota had told him she was going to Scotland to meet Scotty's family before coming to the party with him.

"It was beautiful, he showed me loch ness. His mom liked me, thought I was a "Smart and pretty lass" his sister doesn't like me though" Nyota replied.

"Sarek hated me, at least his mom likes you" Jim smiled at her.

"Aye, mom adores her, said she canna wait til the weddin" Scotty blushed.

"Wedding? Isn't it a bit early?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"Aye" Scotty nodded.

"Well it's good to see you both" Jim smiled; accepting the hug Scotty gave him.

"You too Jim" Nyota said, hugging her captain. Nyota smiled at Jim's look of surprise when she pulled away, Nyota may be nicer to him, and they may have become friends but she wasn't usually physical with him, but she had thought he was going to die not long ago. After she let go of Jim she held the Taal up to Spock.

"Come on everyone, I'll introduce you to the family" Jim smiled.

XXX

Jim would admit he hated most of his family if asked, and the feeling was mutual. And one who always managed to annoy him, was his great aunt Marie. And now was no exception to that. She kept arguing over the "No press" rule. She wouldn't let it go that Jim didn't want a bunch of reporters shoving cameras and microphones in his face.

"I came all the way here to tell stories about when you were a little child, and there's not going to be press?" Marie repeated for what must have been the hundredth time.

"What stories? You barely saw me as a child, and you couldn't stand me as a teenager. You are just going to tell them lies about how I was your favorite nephew. All you want is the fame connected to my name!" Jim shouted, finally losing his patience with the woman.

"I will not be insulted," Marie told him.

"Then leave, I don't care" Jim replied, walking away from the woman who was getting angrier by the second.

"You think you can just speak to me like that? Where do you get off treating me like that boy? I took you in out of the goodness of my heart when your mother went gallivanting off to outer space and Frank kicked your sorry hide out of the house" Marie said.

"For two days until Aunt Betty got back" Jim replied.

"Your attitude hasn't changed at all since you were fourteen, you're still just as foul mouthed and ungrateful. If nothing else I thought your time on that planet would have taught you manners" Marie muttered, arms crossed as she walked away.

"Leave" Jim told her flatly.

"I think that's up to your mother, at least my niece respects me" Marie replied.

"It's my party, I think she'll be perfectly fine with it if I kicked you out" Jim retorted.

"You can't just kick me out" Marie said incredulously.

"Get out or I'll have you escorted out" Jim told her, voice flat. Marie gave him a dirty look but left all the same.


	15. Chapter 15

Jim was in full dress uniform and Betty couldn't believe how much he looked like his father the day he had married Winona. He had the same look in his blue eyes when he saw Spock, dressed in his own dress uniform as George did when he saw Winona walk down the aisle. She knew that had her brother still been alive, he'd cry. Betty also knew her brother would be proud of the man his son had grown into, and not just the hero everyone saw. Jim had gotten so much more then his father's looks, he had gotten his brains and his heart. The only thing that marred this perfect day in her opinion, was the absence of her other nephew. Betty wondered when everything had went wrong for Sam, when he had started listening to the prejudices of his stepfather. Betty shook her head, she would not think of that man, not today.

Jim was dancing with his husband, head resting on his shoulder, eyes closed in happiness, following Spock's lead. Sammy was dancing with Harold, and Winona was snapping pictures off to the side with one of Jim's friends from his ship.

Once the song ended, Sammy grabbed Jim for a dance while Spock headed over to stand with his father and cousin. Jim twirled Sammy around, making her laugh and smile, blue dress twirling around her legs. Sammy giggled when Jim dipped her as the song was coming to an end, before kissing his cheek and going off to probably find Jeremy and dance with him. Jim drug his best friend out, grumbling and complaining all the way. Betty laughed, watching the man awkwardly lead Jim around.

The next person Jim asked to dance, was oddly Spock's cousin Selek, Jim held onto his wrist instead of hand like he had everyone else, but Sammy had given her the crash course on Vulcans so Betty understood why. Spock was watching the scene, but he didn't look upset, but then none of the Vulcan's facial features had expressed much emotion since arriving. Spock's face had shown worry briefly the day before when Jim had eaten almonds, but that was all. Betty couldn't imagine Jim doing something that would upset Spock though.

Betty was interrupted from watching when Harold asked her to dance, holding a flower from one of the displays on the tables out to her. Betty smiled reminded of the awkward young man who had asked her to dance in high school, holding out a single flower to her and shuffling his feet. She had married that man just a few years later, much to the shock of her friends who laughed at him for his gangly frame, which he had never grown out of. Betty smiled and nodded, letting him tuck the flower behind her ear, just like she had when she accepted in high school.

"You wore a red rose from you bouquet behind your ear during our first dance at our wedding" Harold said, Betty smiled at the fact he remembered that.

"You asked me to dance with a flower in high school" Betty reminded him.

"You're just as beautiful today as you were then" Harold smiled. Harold had never been the best with words, more a man of action, but he could be quite charming and sweet when he said things. And it was even better because Betty knew he truly believed that, Harold never said anything if he didn't believe it.

"And you're just as handsome" Betty smiled back.

"Flowers are a tradition when we dance" Harold told her grinning and Betty leaned up and kissed him, before resting her head on his chest.

"It's nice to see you guys still love each other as much as I remember" Jim said, interrupting them. Betty smiled at him and his mate that was standing beside him.

XXX

The gift table was full of presents, and Betty watched as Jim's eyes widened when Winona pushed him towards it and the chairs set up beside it for him and Spock.

"We're going to need more closet space" Jim said, Spock simply looked at his mate and Betty wondered if he was amused. Winona pushed Jim into one of the chairs, Spock taking the other one beside his mate as Winona grabbed a random present off the top of the pile.

"Hey, Pike, it's from you" Jim called to admiral Pike who smiled. Inside was a beautiful wooden frame stained a dark brown that when Jim turned it showed a picture of Jim and Spock in their Starfleet uniforms standing side by side with the _Enterprise_ behind them.

"This was taken the day we started our mission" Jim smiled.

"Thank you Admiral" Spock said inclining his head, Pike smiled at them. The next gifts went by quickly, a few making Jim laugh, like the 'His & hers' embroidered towel set from someone, Betty really couldn't remember who.

"Sarek, this is yours" Jim said, holding up a box, and sounding surprised, Betty wondered why.

"It is not a Vulcan tradition to give gifts for marriage like humans do" Selek who was standing close to her explained, obviously noticing her confused look. Betty nodded and smiled at him in thanks.

"Father, this is mothers vase," Spock said, holding a blue tinted glass vase carefully in his hands.

"It is one of the few things that survived the destruction of Vulcan that belonged to her, she had left it in the home we stayed in when I had to travel to earth for ambassador business" Sarek replied.

"Father..." Spock started.

"She would wish you to have it, you always enjoyed helping her trim flowers for it" Sarek told him.

"Thank you" Spock said quietly, staring at the vase in his hands.

"Thank you Sarek" Jim smiled, carefully rewrapping the vase in the tissue paper it had been wrapped in, and gently setting it on the ground.

One of the final gifts to be opened came from the young woman Nyota Uhura who Jim said was communications expert on the _Enterprise_ and was a scrapbook. Jim sat with Spock looking through the pictures that filled it. One picture was Jim and Spock dancing that must have been taken at the party the crew had for them. Another were them sitting at a table, playing chess, Jim holding a black pawn in his hand.

"It was just going to be a gift for two friends, but then you announced you were going to be bonding so I made it a wedding present instead. The pictures go in order, from the start of your relationship to you marriage" Nyota explained.

"It's beautiful, thank you Nyota" Jim smiled, standing up and hugging the woman who hugged him back with a smile of her own. And Jim was right; it was a beautiful and thoughtful gift.


	16. Chapter 16

Jim was inside grabbing the bottle of water he had put in the freezer earlier when he saw the car pulling up to the driveway. The car was obviously rented, but it shouldn't be here, they were two far out to be someone who had gotten lost, and the shipyards weren't that close. He stared out the window trying to figure out who it could be when the person stepped out of the car. As soon as they did Jim nearly froze and dropped the frozen bottle of water on his foot. Jim walked back outside and straight up to Spock. The anger coming through the bond from Spock was exactly what Jim had expected from his mate. Spock moved closer to his mother who was looking through the photo album with Nyota and Betty.

"Winona, call the authorities" Spock said calmly.

"Why? What's wrong?" Winona asked.

"Frank has decided to make a reappearance" Spock replied. Winona stood quickly and went inside as Betty went to grab Harold and Jeremy. "Nyota, please have Mr. Scott come with us" Spock said to her, Uhura nodded and stood up.

"Please stay inside" Spock told him once they had made it back inside.

"No, I won't let him think I'm scared of him" Jim responded.

"Jim, please I do not wish for him to hurt you again," Spock argued.

"I'm tired of letting him hurt me, I'm not going to let him win by staying in here and hiding. I'm going with you" Jim told him, tone booking no argument.

"Very well" Spock acquiesced.

"You are not allowed to be here," Spock said looking at the man that was leaning on the hood of his rented vehicle.

"I'm not doing anything Vulcan" Frank replied.

"You are breaking your restraining order by even setting foot on this property" Spock said.

"Got your little freak of a husband fighting your battles for you now Jimmy? Well I guess someone has to now that your brother stopped huh?" Frank laughed.

"I will ask you only once to leave" Spock interrupted, standing half in front of his mate.

"Yeah? And what are you going to do if I don't? I'm not falling for that neat little trick you did last time" Frank replied.

"You are outmatched," Spock told him.

"You really think I find that threatening, a pansy ass fag whose to scared to even say a word to me let alone throw a punch, a half Vulcan freak, a woman, a man whose had too many desserts, an old man, and a boy? I'm not afraid of any of you" Frank sneered.

"Just leave Frank" Jim said, not willing to let Frank see he could still affect him.

"Is that anyway to speak to the man who raised you Jimmy?" Frank asked.

"You never raised me, you were nothing but an abusive bastard. I'm not afraid of you anymore" Jim told him.

"Really? That's not what it seemed like last time, hiding behind your husband the entire time" Frank laughed.

"I'm not a child anymore Frank, see the thing is, I can fight back when you hit me now" Jim replied, standing up to his full height.

"You're just a pansy Jim" Frank said flatly.

"If that's true, then come prove it to me" Jim smirked at him.

"I'm still stronger then you and always will be" Frank told him.

"The problem is that I'm not a little child you can kick around anymore huh Frank? You can beat up on children who's smaller and weaker then you, but not an adult. You're nothing but a bully" Jim said.

At that comment Frank took a swing; Jim dodged and threw a punch back, his fist connecting with Frank's cheek. Frank stumbled back slightly, but managed to regain his footing and land a hit to Jim's jaw. Jim kicked Frank's legs out from beneath him, only to have Frank grab his ankle and bring him down as well. Frank wrapped his hands around Jim's neck, cutting off his air. Spock lifted Frank easily off his mate. Frank lashed out and landed a punch to Spock's cheek, Spock retaliated with his own punch stunning the man while he applied a Vulcan nerve pinch once again rendering the man unconscious.

"Feel better now?" Spock asked Jim who was sitting up on the ground.

"Actually yeah, a little bit" Jim smiled.

"Good" Spock said, helping his mate to stand back up.

XXX

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Betty asked, hugging Jim, as he was getting ready to leave after the party.

"Yeah, I have to talk to the Starfleet engineers working on the _Enterprise _before we head back out to continue our mission. The sooner I do that the sooner we can get Sarek and Selek back home so they can continue their duties" Jim replied.

"I'll miss you" Betty said.

"I'll miss you too. I'll call you whenever I can" Jim promised.

"Be sure that you do. It was lovely meeting you Spock" Betty said smiling at the young Vulcan.

"You as well" Spock replied, bowing his head to the woman.

"Good luck in the academy Sammy, let me know what ship you get assigned to okay?" Jim said, hugging his younger cousin.

"I will. You better call me" Sammy smiled at him.

"I'll call you whenever I can" Jim assured her, waving goodbye to his family as him, Spock, Sarek, Selek, and Bones left. Seeing his family had had a few bumps in the road, but it hadn't been as bad as he had thought it would be.


End file.
